Definition
事 (shì) is a broad, everyday noun for 'thing, matter, affair' — used for tasks, events, or issues. It's the most basic word in this sense; 事情 (shìqing) is its common two-syllable synonym, slightly more natural in speech for 'a matter' or 'an affair'. 事 alone is shorter and often appears in fixed phrases or as an object (有事, 做事).
noun
thingmatteraffair
Measure word · 件, 桩, 回
Easily confused
- 是shìsound-aliketo be (linking verb, followed by a noun or noun phrase)
- 时shísound-alike(noun) time, period, season
- 试shìsound-aliketo try; to test
- 使shǐsound-aliketo cause, to make (someone do something)
- 十shísound-aliketen
- 室shìsound-alikeroom (often as a suffix in compound words)
- 屎shǐsound-alikefeces; excrement; stool
- 式shìsound-alike(suffix) -style; -type; -form; -pattern
- 市shìsound-alikecity
- 湿shīsound-alikewet, moist
Examples
- 。Zhè shì yí gè hǎo shì.This is a good thing.
- 事。Wǒ yǒu hěn duō shì yào zuò.I have many things to do.
- ？Nǐ yǒu shì ma?Do you have anything?
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